Free at the pharmacy
MPP Jeff Leal outlines the province’s plan to fund prescriptions for people under 25
The Ontario government’s new plan to give free prescription medication to children and youth is going to do a lot of good locally, one pharmacist said.
Adrian Cunningham, a pharmacist at Shoppers Drug Mart downtown, said the program is going to help people who work for minimum wage with no benefits – of which there are many in the city.
“The poorest are generally covered under Ontario Works, but then there are the working poor,” Cunningham said.
The new program, called OHIP+, was announced on Thursday as part of the Ontario government’s new budget. Starting Jan. 1, 2018, the Ontario government will cover the cost of prescription medication to anyone 24 and younger.
Cunningham said there are more than 4,400 drugs covered - everything from antibiotics to diabetes drugs, asthma inhalers, medication for ADHD and certain cancer drugs.
Even birth control pills will be covered, he said.
The government says all you’ll have to do is present an Ontario health card and a prescription. Medications will be free, with no upfront costs.
Cunningham said OHIP+ will help a lot of people in their early 20s, in Peterborough – especially new post-secondary graduates.
Although students often have drug coverage through university, he said they don’t often have benefits with their first job. “There’s a gap there,” he said. MPP Jeff Leal said on Friday he expects the program will help a lot of families and young people locally.
“I know that in Peterborough, it can sometimes be difficult for people to make ends meet,” he said.
If you have private insurance, you will still realize some savings: the program will save you dispensary fees, for example.
Meanwhile, CBC reported on Thursday that it was unclear whether premiums will be reduced for people with private insurance.
But a government press release issued by Leal states that it’s a possibility.
“Ontario will work with representatives from the private insurance industry to ensure that any savings are passed on to employees and employers,” it says.
NOTE: See more on Thursday’s provincial budget on Page A4.